


Discount Bargain (have you found your regrets yet?)

by Starsong



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Possession, Referenced Body Harm, Stream of Consciousness, Suffering, The Hollow Knight comes with their own warnings, The Pale King would like to know what the heck is happening, The Radiance tries to be cool and somewhat succeeds, don't we all?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:47:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24354562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starsong/pseuds/Starsong
Summary: Peace, finally.No more news of more infected cases. There haven't been any for a while now.His Pure Vessel has succeeded.Why, then, does a scream echo in his mind like a warning, like a cry?
Comments: 11
Kudos: 51





	Discount Bargain (have you found your regrets yet?)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there, thanks for checking this out! 
> 
> If it's anyone from Hermitcraft, sorry to disappoint, but no worries, I'm working on some stuff :) If I made you curious about this game, check out Welsknight, he uploaded his entire play-through on his YT channel! I was a bit sad that he didn't pay too much attention to the lore, but it's understandable, as you do need to dig a bit to connect some stuff.
> 
>  **WARNINGS:** death (just a husk) and minor descriptions of suffering (it's the Hollow Knight we're talking about here, they come with the warnings). No pronoun disrespect here, btw.
> 
> Bit of a long note here, so just go straight ahead if you don't feel like reading this. Long rambling notes have become my signature move, lol.
> 
> This idea came to me yesterday at 6:30 in the morning, right after doing my tag rounding (aka scouting for any new fics and updates). I'd say inspired by another fic, but not really? It's just me finally gaining enough courage and impulsivity to go ahead with writing something for this game that I absolutely fell in love with. Writing took one hour, editing took one day, but there's reasons for that.
> 
> Anyway, that's about it. If you've decided to read over all my bubbling, thank you for your time, it's really appreciated!
> 
> Enjoy!

It began with a scream ignored.

* * *

"Hello there, Wyrm."

It is at a neck-breaking speed that only fear and adrenaline could give that he turns to the bug he'd left behind him.

"Old Light." And he would praise his unwavering voice if he'd been a lower being. But inside, he admits it as reflex, and nothing more, that saves him.

The infected eyes is the first thing he sees.

The warped and sharp smile second.

The Radiance does not allow him shade.

"Scared? Were you truly believing in your plan, then?" _Taunts_ , his mind shouts, but he is stoic, he is unmoving. He clenches all four of his fists, beneath his cloak.

He formulates his response, but she is not caring.

"I'll send your regards, then, perhaps that will get a reaction."

And his words fall. He knows, to the roots of his core, to the marrow in his bones, he _knows_. He acknowledges not.

"My Pure Vessel has failed, then."

It is something in his words that makes the ever-smug face of the possessed bug turn to a restrained snarl and grimace, almost as if the Goddess herself is influenced by the lower lifeform she is manipulating.

He strains his focus on her, on the bug, on his words. If there is a weakness she is showing, he will find it. He fails.

"Arguable, Wyrm," She says instead, puppeteering her vessel to a more relaxed pose, arms lifted, gesturing about. She was always quite animated, he remembers. Much like himself, he doesn't acknowledge. _But if the mind whispers, doesn't the mind hear it?_ "They fight and tear at me and they contain me, but there is only so much a soul can do. Had you trained them like an heir, they would've stood a lasting chance."

And he can feel his hackles rising, and he realises his wings had risen in a threatening pose and he cannot stop them or his thought and-

"Why are you here?"

It's rushed, nothing but grub's question and she laughs an ugly, vicious laugh.

"They scream and they plead and they twist. They're hanging in their chains, wishing for that nail, a beautiful craft, to plunge into me, into their self. The dream fights they cannot win, for I reign there, endless, but the physical was outside my ability for some time."

So much information to absorb, so much emotion to control within his core. Guilt blooms again, overtaking any other.

She is relentless.

"They're infected, Wyrm."

It is the only sentence that isn't dripping with smugness. It seems lacklustre, void of emotion, a heartless statement, and it echoes in the room and in his head.

"They drip with it."

He wishes she'd stop-

"They wish it would stop. They wish I would stop. Or stop it. Stop them. I can't." It feels like a confession, and he feels light-headed with it. _She won't or she can't?!_ His mind screams.

He wants to know. Needs to know.

The Radiance does not stop. But _he_ will stop her.

"They-"

He summons his Soul daggers and aims at the bug and he can't even feel ashamed at having resorted to disregarding the poor thing. It’s the first time since the beginning of the plague.

"Oh," comes the only reaction, as she jumps away from the impulsive and uncoordinated attack. And it's not even surprise. It's _oh,_ _I recognize that_. "I've touched a nerve then?"

And he finds himself glaring, full of bitterness and contempt.

"Good." She grins with her stolen mouth. "What if I told you that they're sorry? That they wish they would've told you? Told you they were a failure, nothing but a lie? Told you that they love you, love this damned Kingdom of yours, so they fought for you, for it? And they would do so again and they do, but they're a parlour trick, a deceiveless liar and they've fooled themself too?"

He feels his burning hate vanish in seconds and ice explodes in his shell. His c- they-... No.

"I see." Her gaze turns considering, attentive. Why? "How about a deal, then, Pale King?"

_What?_

"What?"

"Your child and Kingdom for my freedom." And she grins, so pleased, so knowing. Then, it falls. "I'll even help with stopping the plague."

He’s at a loss. He feels like a grub, lost in the wilderness and he wishes with his entire core that his Root was here. She is not. He thinks she'd have been just as speechless as him.

He can't even think of a response before the shell the Goddess manipulates starts struggling and hacking up infection. He couldn't help but notice that up until then, the bug only showed those haunting orange eyes.

"They've managed to wake into the dream world again, Wyrm. Our time cuts short," and she grins at him, a twisted grin more of a grimace on the face of the poor bug. "But worry not, I'll return. And I'll expect an answer." Laughter follows, echoing, but she's already gone, leaving the puppet for him to contain.

As the now mindless husk launches itself at him and he absentmindedly dodges before killing it, he tries to pull himself from the shambles his thoughts have fallen into. He registers the warm stickiness on his claws and looks down.

Bright bright orange, but more hemolymph than he expected.

He feels sick and he summons Soul to cleanse his hands. The warmth doesn’t leave, the image of it doesn’t and the thought that his Vessel might be in the same state locks him in place for a long time.

_End._

**Author's Note:**

> Short, but I hope you guys liked it.
> 
> The writing style is intentionally weird and all over the place, btw, just felt like throwing that info out there.
> 
> Now, I'm currently working on a work (two actually, lmao, why do I torture myself like this?) for the aforementioned Hermitcraft fandom. However, Hollow Knight is a game very dear to me and I've had ideas and whatnot since I discovered it. This short fic may just be the plot I've been searching for in my mind for 2 years now. 
> 
> If you think you'd like to read a continuation of this, please let me know, it would really give me the encouragement to continue with my idea, especially since I've found a way to make it work. That being said, I've had more thoughts about it, and it's the reason why I didn't upload this immediately after finishing it. 
> 
> Constructive criticism is always welcome, so please do leave a comment if something's caught your eye! Kudos and bookmarks are just as appreciated, so thank you if you decided to drop one!
> 
> Right, once again, hope you enjoyed and thank you for coming by!
> 
> Stay safe and be kind to yourselves (and others) ❤️


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